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Naomi Klein gives 'Angry Mermaid Award' in Copenhagen

From the KlimaForum09 (the People's Summit in Copenhagen) - Naomi Klein presents the Angry Mermaid award, set up to recognise the perverse role of corporate lobbyists, and highlight those business groups and companies that have made the greatest effort to sabotage the climate talks, and other climate measures, while promoting, often profitable, false solutions.

Oil giant Shell ended second place (18 per cent), for lobbying to sabotage effective action on climate change, followed by the American Petroleum Institute (14 per cent).

Agriculture giant Monsanto was nominated for promoting its genetically modified (GM) crops as a solution to climate change and pushing for its crops to be used as biofuels. The expansion of GM soy in Latin America is contributing to major deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.

The Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS) of which Monsanto is a member, is helping to promote the company’s cause by allowing GM soy to be labelled as “responsible”. Monsanto also wants GM soy to be funded under the Clean Development Mechanism.

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